Text | Jiang Qingxi
Editor|Jiang Qingxi
preface
The Edo period, also known as the Tokugawa period, was a period in Japanese history under the Edo shogunate, founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu.
At that time, Tokugawa Ieyasu, as the de facto ruler of Japan, gained the status of shogun and established Edo Castle in what is now Tokyo, which became the center of the shogunate. The Edo period was an important period for the development of Japanese cities. Edo Castle became a political and economic center, gradually developing into one of the largest cities in the world, which later became what is now Tokyo.
As an important historical period in Japan, why did Japan's political economy have a turning point?
Historical events
The Edo period introduced a strict feudal system, dividing Japanese society into different classes, including samurai, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants. The samurai class was in the highest position and enjoyed privileges and power.
In the early Edo period, the shogunate adopted a strict policy of external blockade (lockdown policy), which restricted Japan's trade and exchanges with other countries. This policy continued until the middle of the 19th century.
The Edo period was also a time of cultural prosperity in Japan, especially in art, literature, theater, and ukiyo-e. Kabuki theater, works by ukiyo-e painters such as Katsushika Hokusai, and many famous literary works were born during this period. During the Edo period, agriculture and commerce in Japan developed. Agricultural production increased, commercial activity flourished, and thriving markets and commercial blocks emerged in many cities.
Over time, the shogunate began to face pressure and influence from Western countries. Especially in the middle of the 19th century, American "black ships" came to Japan, forcing Japan to open up foreign trade and eventually leading to the fall of the shogunate.
In 1868, the shogunate fell and the Meiji Restoration began, marking the end of the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan began the process of modernization, abolished the feudal system, and promoted the reform of modernization.
The Edo period was an important period in Japanese history that had a profound impact on the development of Japanese society, economy and culture. It marked Japan's modernization from a closed society and laid the foundation for Japan that came later.
Famous people
Tokugawa Ieyasu was an important ruler and strategist in Japanese history who founded Edo Castle as the political and cultural center of the Edo period of Japan. Below is a detailed introduction to Tokugawa Ieyasu's establishment of Edo Castle.
During the Sengoku period at the end of the 16th century, Japan was in a state of chaos, with daimyos (lords) competing for power and territory. Coming from a samurai family, Ieyasu endured many battles and political struggles and eventually became a key figure in the unification of Japan.
After Ieyasu unified Japan, he needed a centralized political base to consolidate his power and lay a solid foundation for future rule. Therefore, he chose to build a new city and founded Edo Castle here. Ieyasu chose the site to establish Edo Castle in the Kanto region, which at the time was an important transportation and economic center. Located in the area of what is now the city of Tokyo, the location made it easy to rule the entire country and stay connected to the rest of the country.
Ieyasu hired professional urban planners and architects to develop detailed urban planning plans. Edo Castle was built on flat land with tall and strong walls and a wide moat around it. There are several major buildings in the city, including the main hall, samurai residences, government offices, temples, and commercial areas.
Edo Castle became the political center of the Tokugawa shogunate, where Tokugawa Ieyasu and his successors set policy, conducted government affairs, and controlled the entire country. The establishment of Edo Castle marked the beginning of a new era in Japanese history, the Edo period, which lasted about 260 years.
The establishment of Edo Castle led to the gradual development of Edo (present-day Tokyo) into a prosperous city. The city has a large population, business activities are busy, all walks of life have developed, and art, culture and education are also flourishing in Edo Castle, where many artists, scholars and cultural figures gather.
Over time, Edo Castle continued to expand and rebuild, gradually forming a huge urban agglomeration. In the late Edo period, the size of the city was quite large, with an estimated population of over one million.
The Edo Castle founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu became one of the most important cities in Japanese history and had a profound impact on Japan's political, economic, social and cultural development. It also laid the foundation for the later development of Tokyo and became an important symbol of modern Japan.
Ieyasu became a military general at a young age and rose to prominence in the wars of the Sengoku period. He initially joined the Imagawa clan as a retainer, but with the help of Ieyasu's ingenuity and military prowess, he gradually gained trust and rose to the rank of important general of the Imagawa clan.
After Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan, Ieyasu became an important retainer. However, due to Ieyasu's ambition and rising status, his relationship with Toyotomi Hideyoshi gradually became strained.
Finally, after Hideyoshi's death, the Battle of Sekigahara broke out, and Ieyasu led his forces against the army of the Toyotomi family. The Battle of Sekigahara was one of the largest battles in Japanese history, and in the end Ieyasu emerged as the victor.
After the victory in the Battle of Sekigahara, Ieyasu became the supreme ruler of Japan in 1603, establishing a shogunate regime centered on Edo (present-day Tokyo), the Tokugawa shogunate. Power in the Edo period was held by the shogunate, which was actually a military regime.
Ieyasu took a series of measures to consolidate his power, and he stabilized the domestic situation through effective rule and active foreign policy, including the introduction of a hereditary system, a ban on castle construction by the Hao family, and various policies and laws, which kept Japan relatively peaceful and stable for a considerable period of time, laying the foundation for the prosperity of the Edo period.
The Edo period was a relatively long period of peace in Japanese history. Through Tokugawa Ieyasu's rule and shogunate's control, Japan avoided a long period of civil war and chaos, and this peaceful environment was conducive to economic development and social stability. The shogunate had a profound impact on the political, economic and social life of Japan.
Under Ieyasu's rule, Japanese culture ushered in a period of prosperity, known as "Tokugawa culture". He encouraged the development of culture and art, promoted peacetime prosperity, and supported the development of fields such as theater, literature, painting and architecture. In addition, he also established some trade and diplomatic ties with European countries, which had a positive impact on Japan's economic and cultural exchanges.
Ieyasu abdicated in 1605, transferring rule to his son Tokugawa Hidetada, but retained de facto control of the regime. Ieyasu continued to participate in government after his abdication until his death in 1616 at the age of 74. His descendants continued to rule Japan for nearly 300 years, becoming the main ruling family of the Edo period.
Character achievements
During the Sengoku period, Japan was divided into several contending territories, and the country fell into chaos due to civil strife and frequent wars. Tokugawa Ieyasu was one of the key figures after Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan.
He excelled in key battles, gradually expanding his sphere of influence through resourcefulness and military skill, culminating in defeating other daimyos at the crucial Battle of Sekigahara, establishing his dominance and achieving the unification of Japan.
After the unification of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the Edo shogunate. The shogunate was a system of military rule in which political, military, and economic power was concentrated in the shogunate through Ieyasu's leadership.
The shogunate system brought Japan relative stability and a period of peace that lasted for about 260 years, known as the Edo period. During this period, Japan's politics, economy and culture enjoyed long-term stability and development.
During Tokugawa Ieyasu's reign, he promulgated the Keicho Constitution, one of the earliest constitutions in Japanese history. The constitution laid down the political organization, system, and norms of the shogunate, laying the foundation for political administration in the Edo period. The constitution protected the rights and interests of peasants and merchants, regulated the behavior of the samurai class, and ensured social stability and order.
Tokugawa Ieyasu attached great importance to economic development and promoted the prosperity of agriculture, commerce, and handicrafts through a series of policies and measures. He encouraged farmers to carry out farmland reclamation and irrigation projects, promoted commercial activities and urban development, and supported the development of handicrafts and craftsmen. These initiatives have laid the foundation for Japan's economic prosperity and social stability.
Tokugawa Ieyasu also made important contributions in the field of culture. He supported and protected the development of culture and arts, especially traditional cultural forms such as tea ceremony, kendo, and kabuki. Under his patronage, many cultural artists were developed and appreciated, and Japan's cultural prosperity entered a new phase.
By unifying Japan, establishing the shogunate system, formulating the constitution, and promoting economic and cultural development, he brought long-term peace and stability to Japan, and had a profound impact on Japanese history and society. His achievements and contributions provide important examples and inspirations for future rulers and leaders.
Representative works
The Edo period was an important period in Japanese history during which Japanese culture flourished and literary works reached their peak due to a peaceful and stable political environment. Here are some important literary works from the Edo period.
The Tale of Genji is a novel written by Shikibu and is considered one of the most important works in the history of Japanese literature. It depicts the life and love story of the aristocratic society of the Heian period.
Kozai is a modern Japanese novel written by Soseki Natsume and is considered a transitional work between Edo period literature and modern literature. The novel is narrated in the first person and describes the friendship and social problems between the protagonist and his friends.
"Ukiyo-e" is a collection of works by ukiyo-e artists such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hioshige. Ukiyo-e is an art form that expresses daily life and scenery in the form of woodblock prints, and became an important part of the culture of the Edo period; "Snow Country", a modern novel written by Yasunari Kawabata, depicts a love story in a small town isolated from the outside world in a unique narrative style, and is considered a classic of Japanese literature.
"The Generation of Men" is a work written by Ihara Nishitsuru that describes the relationship and sex between men and women in the Edo period. Known for its humorous style and vivid depictions, it is considered one of the earliest sex novels in the history of Japanese literature; The Quteikan Travel Manuscript is a Japanese version of Homer's wandering story, written by Nishizuru Ihara, which humorously tells the protagonist's experiences and sightings on his travels throughout Japan.
These works represent the different genres and styles of literature of the Edo period, showing the richness of society, love, art, and philosophy of the time, and their profound influence on the development of Japanese literature and later writers.
bibliography
"The Founding of the Kingdom and the Late Transformation of the Shogun: The Late Edo Period" (Japanese) by Katsuo Inoue, Bunkai Press, 2021
"Edo Period" (Japanese) by Katsumi Fukatani, Nova Press, 2020
"Edo Period: The Blood Wind at the End of the Curtain" (Japanese) by Sakura Yukimaru, Chongqing Publishing House, 2022